WTC Final: "Bowlers get defensive when there's a below-par score" - Deep Dasgupta on India's Day 3 display

Deep Dasgupta has dissected Team India's bowling performance on Day 3 of the World Test Championship Final. The cricketer-turned-presenter suggested India’s below-par total prompted their bowlers to be defensive at the start of the innings.

India failed to make the most of their solid start on Day 3, losing their last seven wickets for just 68 runs on Sunday. Although the bowlers toiled hard, the Kiwi openers held their own as New Zealand made it to 101/2 at stumps.

After many criticized India’s bowlers for being too short with the ball, Deep Dasgupta addressed the claims on his YouTube channel.

“For those questioning whether Indian bowlers were too short, I would like to point out that when there’s a below-par score, bowlers get defensive subconsciously. They become wary of pitching it up because they wonder what will happen if batsmen drive them for four. Sometimes the bowlers get pressured by the scoreboard. You then start playing safe and being a bit defensive, and it is a natural effect of the scoreboard,” Deep Dasgupta explained.

Here's a comparison of the new ball spells in this Test so far. India have hit a good line and length more often than New Zealand, have been quicker, but have found less swing and the same amount of seam. #WTCFinal pic.twitter.com/lrYDkVxJM6

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) June 20, 2021

The Indian pace trio toiled hard at Southampton but didn’t get many rewards for their persistence. Although they consistently hit good lengths, they found much less swing compared to their counterparts.

While Deep Dasgupta admitted India’s pace battery may have been a bit short, he suggested their hands were tied due to the below-par total put up by the batsmen.

“If India had scored 300-325, I believe the bowlers would have pitched it fuller. Right now they are caught between taking wickets and not conceding any runs. Automatically, bowlers get a bit defensive. Despite that, Mohammed Shami bowled brilliantly. Other bowlers did well too, but they could have pitched it up a bit and attacked more. I wouldn’t blame the bowlers too much though. This is what happens when batsmen put up an under-par total on the board,” Deep Dasgupta suggested.

“Mohammed Shami should have taken the new ball” – Deep Dasgupta

36% false shots for Mohammed Shami so far - the most of any bowler in the match. #WTCFinal

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) June 20, 2021

Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah kept things tight in the early stages as the Kiwi openers focussed on surviving the early part of the play. On a day when Mohammed Shami troubled the batsmen after coming on first-change, Deep Dasgupta rued what might have been had the 30-year-old taken the new ball.

“We saw Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah take the new ball. I felt that Mohammed Shami should have taken the new ball because Bumrah and Ishant operate similarly – both bowlers move the ball away a bit whether it be through their natural angle or some swing. I felt one of them could have taken the new ball, and Mohammed Shami could have bowled from the other end. He is different, he has a straighter arm than most in international cricket. That way there could have been two different bowlers operating with the new ball,” Deep Dasgupta concluded.

The Indian bowlers may have to wait for a while before they can course-correct their strategy. With heavy rain predicted, Day 4 is likely to get washed out.